Illuminated sign.



No. 814,684. PATEN'IED MAR. I3, 1906 S. W. FLEMING L F. A. CHILDS.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnesses JJ; Inventors,

Rttognegs PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906. S. W. FLEMING & E. A. CHILDS.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. o. 1905.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

Jmuezwf'zem Fran/@Amma A@ l Witnesses Attorneys @4% fi" w the advantages'of t UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL w. FLEMING AND FRANK A. CHILDS, or New LoNDoN.

OHIO.

ILLUMINATED vSIGN Specication of Letters Patent.v

Patented March 1e. 190e.

Application Bled January 6,1905. Serial No. 239,914.v p

To all whoml t may concern."

Be it knownthat we, SAMUEL W. FLEMING and FRANK A. CHILDS, citizens ofthe United States ,residin at New London, in the county of Huron and tats of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Illuminated Sign, of which the .following isa specification.

*This invention relates to signs and has for its object to provide an improved illuminated s1 n.

gIt is also roposed to equip the sign with a plurality ofpalphabets', several series of numerals, Vand variousJoth'er characters which may be conveniently adjusted and set up to iisplay words and numerals of any significance Without removin f the sig'n from its support and without taking the sign apart 1n y any particular.

Another object of the'invention is to adapt thesign to any character f illumination, such as electricity, as,`oil, and the like In connectionwit the illuminating feature it is also proposed to provide for the convenient change in color of the words, numerwlthout removlngl als, and? other characters or shiftinr the latter.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement 4of parts, as'will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanyin drawings, and particularlypointed outinthe appended claims, it being understood that changes'in the fern/1, proportion', size, and minor details may be made within the sco e of the claims Without departing from tN 'e s irit or sacriicing'any of e invention. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective-view of an'illuminated sign ernbodyingv the features of the present invention. ig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the sign with. the skeleton front removed.

. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary .sectional View on the line-.8 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a crosssectional vView of the sign on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the key employed for adjusting the scrolls of `the sign.

view of one of the rollers for one of the scrolls.v Fig. 7 is adetail perspective View of the colorro F Fig. 6 is a sectional perspective ig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken through the front of the sign.

` Fig. .Q is a view similar to Fig. 8, showinga modification. o Llke characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each 'and every gure of the drawings.

The body ofthe ,present sign is in the nature of a case 1, whlch might of course be of any sha e in accordance with the requirements o its situation, the most eneral form being that of'a rectangular box o suitable dimensions. lThis case may be of wood, metal, or other suitable material, which is closed upon all sides. but the front, through which the advertising matter is to be displayed. For convenience in obtaining access to the interior of the case to repair the elements of the sign, as well as theilluminating means, a suitable door may be provided at any point, a convenient door being formed by hinging the top. 2 to the back 3 of the case.

At the front 'of the case there is a series of uprights onbars 4, which extend from the top to the bottom of the case, thereby dividing the'ront of the case into upright spaces or columns. Longitudinal rodsI 5, preferably wires, are stretched from end to end of the case andare received withinl notches 6 in the front edges oi the bars 4.

Within each space or column formed by the upright 'walls 4 is a. series of scrolls 7. Each scroll is formed of flexible light-excludingv material, referably light oil-cloth, with its ends Woun `upon ro lers 8, located, respectively, above and below al pair of adjacent rods 5 and suitably journaled upon the adjacent upright bars 4, with that portion of the scroll whlch lies between the two rollers lo,- cated across the front sides of the rods 5 for a purpose as will be hereinafter described. Each end ofv each roller lis removabl journaled in an arcuate slot c, intersecting the back of the adjacent upright 4, there being a set-screw b piercing the backof the upright and entering theI slot to ment of the roller. This scroll carries certain characters to be displayed-'aafor instance, an alphabet and a series of numerals .from

0" to .9-one of such charactersbeing roo indicated at 10, and the outline of each'r'zharacter bein formed by-perforations through which thei rht of the illuminating clement ol the sign is designed to be displayed, thereby vto exhibit the character against an otherwise ro 5 'lark background. It will of course be understood that there is a scroll for each pair of rods 5 in each column or space between the upright bars 4, whereby the sign is provided with siveral series of scrolls, embodying du- 11o Y prevent displaceilieute eliaraeters one of which may be lirought to a displayed position between its rolls, and thus iidvertisii.;` matter of any character may be eil'eetually displayed, liniited only by the number ol scrolls contained iu the ease.

For convenience in adjusting or setting the scrolls eachof the rollers is tubular in iorin and all of the corresponding rollers are in horizontal aliiieinent, either or both ends of the case being provided with periorations 11 in alinenient with the respective series of rolls to give access to their interiors from either end oi the nario. Within eaeh tubular roll there is a longitudinal rib or shoulder i2, capable of being engaged by a key to rotete the roller7 and t nireby wind the scroli thereon for the purpose of bringingl any one of its cheracters into displayed position. F or this purpose there has been provided a key 13, the stein or shank of which is equa'i in length to the length of the case. "i it is to be introduced through one end thereof or equal to one-haii oi the length of the case if the latter is provided at opposite ends with openings to receive the key. This key is provided at one end with a suitable handle 111-, and its opposite end is flattened, as at 15, to provide a ward which is capable of being` introduced througlii any one oi the openings l 1 in the end of the case and passed through the adjacent series of tubular rollers to Aany particular roller, whereupon by rotating the hey its ward will be. brought into contact with the rib or shoulder of the roller and the latter' therebyrotated to wind its scroll thereon iintil the desired character is brought into displayed position. It will oi course be understood that the. set-screws Il are loosened prior to the application. oi the key to enable the rotation oi' the rollers, the set-screws being retightened after the scroll has been properly set, so as to prevent creeping or loose-,ness ol the scroll. scrolls are nuinbered consecutively or otherwise designated by u series of characters (i upon the top oll the case, and the shank or stein ol' the key hns cori'ivsponding charac ters, but arranged in reverse order, so that when the hey has been introduceii into one of the openings i l and it desired to adjust one of i he scrolls in a predeterinined eoliiiniiAsay, lor instance, the eoluinn designated .ri-#the key will be pushed in until the character 5 upon the stein tliereol' is adjacent the. heyhole, when the ward 15 will lie within the desired roller in the vertical column 5. By ineens ol` the key it is apparentthat the several scrolls may be individually adjusted to display any one ol` its characters, and there l'ore any wording within the capacity oi the sign iiiay be quickly setup without d isinounting the sign and without detaching any oi its parts.

[is cleariy shown in Fig. l oi' the drawings,

The several vertical series oli` einen@ it is proposed to the respective serolls, with the exception of the perforate characters to be die iayed, and this is accomplished by Ineens o a skeleton front 16, formed of suitable light-excluding materiel, preferably a sheet of oil-cloth, khevconoesd substantieliiy ailof ing openings 17 somewhat less than the several individuel spaces bounded by the upri,3 by to display the pericorate characters only and to eiiectually conceal the rods, bars, end the intervals between the several scrolls. Hence the perforate eharacters will be displayed against dark background.

it wiii here be expiained thet 'the rods 5 pass across the backs of the several scrolls, so es to hold the portions et' the latter between the rollers snugly against the 'front of the cese in order to prevent the passage of light outwardly between 'the edges of the scrolls and the edges of the openings in the iront of the case. i

As hereinbefore indicated, the illuminating ineens may be of any character, that shown being in the nature oi electric lamps i8 oi' -eny appropriate size and character, which are arranged within the cese to suit any particular requirements end may be mounted upon any portieri of the cese, the present ernbodinent showing the lernps mounted upon the back of the case 'lo add to the attractiveness of the sign, it l is proposed to provide for changing the color o|` the light displayed throu h the perforate eliaraeters of the scrolls, ani in carrying out ibis` objeet a color-scroll 1Q is disposed across vthe horizontal series of scrolls between the ably tissue-paper. and is inade up of a Series ol dillerent color-strips having their ends pasted or otherwise Seeured in order that they may be siieeessively iinwcund and stretched across the scrolls between the latter and the ilhiiniiiiiiing means, whereb any color ol" iight may be emitted through the perfoi'ate characters of the character-scrolls, whereby :i very attractive ilhirninated sign is produeed. rthe rollers 20 oi the color-serolls are. tubi-iler and in eiineinent, the top of the ease being provided with a hevhole 21 to receive the key 13, and each roi er is provided with an internai lon Vritudinel rib or shoulder 'for engagement by t ie ward ofthe key to ef'- iect rotation of the roller for the purpose of bringing any portion of the scroll into position for use.

From the foregoing description it is appar ent that the device of the present invention entirely eoinplete in itself and may be conL` venieiiily mounted after the iiuiniier of uny vht bars 4 and the, transverse rods 5, therel1 oo Each scroll is "Foi-ined oi thin transparent material, prefer y play any character and amount of advertisand also provided upon its stein'with a scale cord'ancc with the distances between the ordinaryr sign, and at the same time the character-scrolls may be conveniently set to dis ing mattei', limited only by the number of character scrolls contained in the case. Furthermore, the advertising matter may be readily changed from time to time without taking the sign down or dismantling the same in any manner whatsoever, as the adjusting-key has access to each and every scroll. Moreover, the sign is adaptd to an character oi' illumination, as it may be rea ily connected to electric-light wires and with gas-pipes, and where such sources of illumination are not possible oil, gasolene, or other character of lamps may be employed.

Should it be found necessary to rotect the perforate scrolls, a transparent p ate 22, preferably glass, may be interposed between the scrolls and the iront of the casing, so as to 'shield the scrolls from external blows without obscuring he letters or other characters formed therein.

Having inlly described the invention, What is claimed is 1. In a sign, the combination with a case, of a series 0i' individual character-bearing scrolls having open-ended tubular rollers in longitudinal alinement, each roller being provided witli an internal key-seat, the case being provided with openings in alinenie-nt with the respective series oi rollers, and a key capable of being inserted through any oi the periorations in the case and through the rollers, said key having ward for engagement with the key-seats of the respective rollers having its elements successively spaced in acseats of the successive rollers. 2. ln an illuminated sign, the combination i with acase having a series of exposure-openings in its front, cross-bars within the case adjacent thc front thereof and located opposite the intervals between the exposureopenings, the backs of the bars being provided With roller-bearing slots7 a series of scrolls having their rollers mounted 1n the respective slots of the cross-bars, rods extending across the front edges of the crossbars in en 'agement with the rear sides of the scrolls to hold the latter against the front of the case, and endwise-adjustable color-stri s interposed between the cross-bars and the backs' of the scrolls and located between adjacent pairs of rods.

3. In a sign, the combination of a case having s aced upright bars at the iront thereof, scrol s disposed in the spaces between the bars and arranged in horizontal and vertical series, each scroll having substantially horizontal rollers mounted upon the adjacent bars and carrying matter to be displayed, a light-excluding iront having openings to cxpose the data ot the respective scrolls, rods extending transversely across the front of the upright bars and against the backs of the scrolls to hold the latter against the light-excludingifront, and color-scrolls extending across the backs oi the horizontal series oi character-scrolls, each color-scroll beinv disposed between the horizontal rods an( also between the backs oi the character-scrolls an d 'the front of the upright bars. i

E. M. PAHUER. C. B. WEIDMM 

